N A CLASSIC Simpsons' moment, at their show's equivalent of Disney World dedicated to the parodies of Tom and Jerry known as Itchy and Scratchy, a giddy Homer is duped into trading his money for the amusement park's imitation play currency which can't be spent on anything at the park. The scene is humorous in that only Homer would be among those stupid enough to fall for such a scheme.

At one time, it use to be a sign of discernment if the prudent citizen was not taken in by such snake oil. However, if a bunch of grubby beatniks have their way, one's willingness to fall for such nonsense will serve as a measure of one's devotion to and support of the COMMUNITY.

According to the June 2006 Hyattsville Life And Times, the cities of Hyattsville, Mount Rainier, and Brentwood will be acquiring a local currency to be called the "Anacostia Hour". Those hoodwinked into accepting this tender can use it to purchase goods from businesses part of the program and even pay employees "willing" to accept this glorified monopoly money.

The purpose of this dubious means of exchange as stated in the Hyattsville Life & Times is to "keep people shopping in the local community." Maybe if a given municipality had stores worth shopping at or free from the dregs of humanity prowling the aisles of such establishments, residents wouldn't mind spending their regular money in the area. But bigshots in these here parts insist upon either "high end retailers" or idiosyncratic specialty merchants selling novelty junk common folks have little need of.

Furthermore, in a market economy, it is not the business of any collection of individuals from where I acquire goods and provisions classified as legitimate in a free society. For while these proposals are often packaged in terms of civic enthusiasm, they are merely contrived guises for exerting additional control over the American people.

For example, way back in the cybernetic dark ages in response to a letter to the editor I had written regarding a local issue, one disgruntled neighbor wrote in the response that they shopped in the COMMUNITY (no doubt a dig against the distinct Wal-Mart bags they had seen my family get out of the trunk on various occasions) and that they gladly offered up their children for indoctrination at the local elementary school (a slur regarding my own private education). From the tone of the indignant epistle, one might conclude that the author believed I should have had my freedom of speech and other civil protections abridged for not prostrating myself before the radical whims of the neighborhood.

By implementing an alternative currency, residents gullible enough to literally buy into the program will be further conditioned into accepting the notion that the era of the individual making their own decisions for themselves is coming to an end to be replaced with a system where morality is no longer determined by reference to eternal values but rather by a consensus arrived at by the leaders of the COMMUNITY.

I am not making this up out of nothing. The motto to be emblazoned upon this lucre will be "In each other we trust."

So instead of looking to God to get us through the trials and travails of life, we are suppose to rely on the drunken wife beater down the street or around the corner. That will sure provide a sense of comfort when you are lying there on your deathbed.

At this point in our cultural development, this little game is confined to the self-congratulatory leftists that usually get a kick out of such lunacies. However, it won't be so cute when the program is made mandatory for the rest of us.

During the Great Depression, businesses participating in the National Recovery Administration were given an insignia with an eagle on it to display in the window. Eventually, this symbol became so pervasive that some Christians thought it might be the Mark of the Beast foretold in the Book of Revelation.

Likewise, those persons and businesses accepting the new currency in lieu of the old could receive assorted privileges and incentives from the overseeing authorities. Conversely, those refusing to participate could be financially reprimanded or penalized.

But even more importantly, by transitioning the residents of a specific region onto a local currency, the ability of the residents to travel beyond their own area could be effectively curtailed by requiring them to go through a lengthy administrative procedure to get their tender converted from the specie utilized by the COMMUNITY to that utilized for transactions outside the primary residential unit. This way, authorities would be able to cut down on what it deemed to be unnecessary travel and wasteful economic transactions. And residents will no doubt be discouraged from undertaking any unauthorized activities for no other reason than the bureaucratic hassle they will have to be put through.

Already in urban design circles it is common practice to set into motion disincentives for the use of the automobile. Aspiring architects and engineers cut their professional teeth in many college classes across the nation where they learn to design vehicle-free university campuses. And on an episode of Freedom 21 Santa Cruz, it was observed that the American people are to be conditioned into no longer viewing travel and movement as a freedom but rather as a privilege.

Some witty minds might quip what's the difference between a local currency and the Federal Reserve notes we have been persuaded to settle all debts public and private with. Technically, not all that much since both are useless pieces of paper.. But until Americans can pay the extortive taxation being extracted from them with this new money, no more regard should be given to it than used bathroom tissue once it is sent on its merry way.Frederick Meekins is an Internet columnist. He holds a BS from the University of Maryland in Political Science/History and a MA in Apologetics & Christian Philosophy from Trinity Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Practical Theology through the Master's Graduate School Of Divinity in Evansville, Indiana. Frederick's research interests include Worldview Application, Christian Apologetics, The Implications of Aberrant Theologies & Ideologies, Futurology, Eschatology, Science Fiction, Terrorism Studies, Environmentalism, Education Policy and America's Judeo-Christian Foundations. Frederick is also an ordained Non-Denominational Minister and listed in "Who's Who In America" and in "Who's Who Of Emerging Leaders". Media inquiries can be directed to: americanworldview@hotmail.com. His books "Yuletide Terror & Other Holiday Horrors" and "Provide For The Common Defense: Thoughts Concerning The Nation's Enemies" are available at http://stores.lulu.com/fmeekins. His blog, The Epistolizer, can be found at http://epistolizer.blogspot.com